[M2.126L]                                                             [M2.126]								126
                                                                      No 181  182		Verona  San Zeno  Pavia  San Michele
These shafts carry arches of three simple square orders,              
each with decorated architraves - one is drawn on No [gap]            		by the line R. gives the section of both.  They look
the outermost is covered by very light, but most effective            		trenchant and sharp beyond even the usual measure of
basreliefs of jesting subject - two cocks carrying on their           		Lombard work - as if they had been cut with swords.
shoulders a long staff to which a (fox?) is tied by the               		On No 181 which is the most important of the nave shaft
legs hanging down between them!  the street of the foremost           		capital on the left side of nave looking towards altar.
cock lifting its leg at right angles is delicious;  a stag            		San Zeno fig 2 shows the cutting of the angle leaf from
hunt with a centaur huntsman drawing a bow - the arrow                		the flat side which is inscribed, and which is not
has gone clean through the dog’s throat {and is sticking              		therefore cut down into two leaves as the lateral slopes are.
there} - several capital hunts with dogs;  with fruit                 Romanesque and Lombard work:  I was much struck by the excessive
trees between with birds in them:  their leaves - considering         San Michele Pavia)	likeness of this St Michele to our Norman churches;
the early time, singularly well set with the edges                    		in the doors and windows especially, the structure being
outwards, sharp and deep cut between - snails and frogs               		altogether the same;  the style of rich detail similar
filling up spaces as if suspended in the air:  some saucy             		in effect - the grey recesses of Sandstone might have been
puppies on their hind legs - two or three nondescript                 		at Iffley or Winchester.  But the ornaments examined
beasts - and finally on the centre of one of the arches               		closely are of course, altogether different;  many of
of the south side (supposing church east and west - and               		them exactly the same as the recognised Byzantine ones;
my pillar being north side) an elephant and castle - a                		it is of much importance to note the exact differences
very strange elephant yet as if the carver had seen one.              		between St Michele and Byzantine work:
                                                                      		First:  The clustered piers - noted by Lord Lindsay: q.
                                                                      		when does this clustering system first appear:  for it is
                                                                      		one of the principal roots of Gothic effect.
                                                                      		San Michele is a cross church with aisles to the nave
                                                                      		only;  the transepts have narrow tall shafts with capitals
                                                                      		at the vaulting

[Version 0.05: May 2008]